Future crop for dry land cultivation - Hindu.com

Future crop for dry land cultivation
It is rich in lysine, iron, calcium, beta-carotene and folic acid.
GRAIN AMARANTH finds an important place among food crops, nutritionally possesses abundant quantity of lysine and sulphur containing amino acids, which are limiting in cereals.
It contains 16 per cent protein of which 6-8 per cent is lysine; hence it is popularly known as `lysine' rich crop. It is also rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, beta-carotene and folic acid. The grain also contains 7-8 per cent edible oil composed of `squalene', which is an important ingredient in cosmetics and lubricants of computer discs.
The oil is relatively high in tocopherols (vitamin-E). Grain amaranth is also used as leafy vegetable. The white grains are used in different culinary preparations. For successful crop production, the choice of high yielding varieties is most important.
Popular varieties
Higher productivity of any crop can be achieved through a combination of ideal cultivars associated with proper environment and appropriate agronomic practices. Popular varieties like Suvarna and Annapurna require well-drained soils of sandy loam with an ideal pH of 6.
Studies have indicated that grain amaranth is more responsive to fertilizers than cereals. The recommended dose of fertilizers is 40:40:20 kg nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium (NPK).
Sowing period
The crop is generally sown in the first or second week of June just after the first monsoon. Traditionally, the seeds are broadcasted but better crop stand is achieved if seeding is done in rows.
A seed rate of 1.5 to 2 kg/ha is used for good grain yield. The depth of sowing should not be more than 2 to 3 cm. Optimising the plant density is an essential step in the introduction of new crop. A spacing of 45 cm x 15 cm is found to be optimum for better grain yields followed by 30 cm x 15 cm.
The grains mature much earlier and the plant dries up quite late. Hence crop is harvested as and when it reaches maturity. Else, grains will shatter which leads to heavy grain loss. Threshing is done by beating on tarpaulins. The produce is threshed and winnowed like other cereals.
M.R. Ananda & G.N. Dhanapal
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore